Untitled
by OutsidersFanFicRPGroup
Summary: This is an incomplete story written by a Outsiders fan fiction group. If you want me/us to put up more then review!!!!!!!!!!! If you wanna help write it and see posts much faster and daily then join the group!!!!!!!!! ~PEACE~HUGS~LOVE~ AND BSB~
1. Chapter 1

1.1 This is an incomplete story written by our Fan Fiction and Role play group for the book and movie The Outsiders. You can submit your own fan fiction. You can also participate in Role play. This is a little different than regular role play though. In this group you don't have to pick a character to play. You can play any character from the book or movie that you want anytime you want. For example if somebody puts a post up of Darry talking to Ponyboy, whoever reads the message first that would like to respond as Ponyboy can do so. This is the same with all the characters and all the posts. If you want to hear more of this story soon than you should join!  
  
Just go to the following URL http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheOutsiders_FanFiction_RP/  
  
1.2  
  
1.3 Posted By: bsbfanatic7  
  
Ponyboy Curtis tossed his cigarette butt into the dirt. He sat on  
  
the porch reading. Soda and Darry inside with Two-Bit and Steve  
  
having dinner but he wasn't hungry. He just hadn't been himself  
  
since Dally and Johnny died. In fact all five of the boys hadn't been  
  
the same. Everybody was always to tense and Darry was even more  
  
uptight than before. Pony and Soda almost got into an argument the  
  
other day which was really very shocking seeing as they've never ever  
  
fought before. "Pony, why don't you c'mon in and have something to  
  
eat?" Darry yelled from the kitchen. "No thanks." Pony said just loud  
  
enough for Darry to hear him. He turned to the next page of his book  
  
and leaned back on the little wooden swinging bench on the porch.  
  
2 Posted By: Fanjj  
  
Darry chewed slowly as he watched his brother take an angry bite out  
  
of his ham sandwich. Sodapop was watching TV, and still upset about  
  
the scuffle with Ponyboy from the other day. Darry sighed, shaking  
  
his head at the thought of his brothers feuding. He didn't know about  
  
the specifics of the disagreement, and it bothered him more than he'd  
  
like to admit.  
  
After the deaths of Johnny and Dally, Darry found himself taking his  
  
role as the head of the household more seriously. Not that he hadn't  
  
been serious before; he cared very much about the well-being of his  
  
younger brothers. Darry joked around with them less. He found himself  
  
repeating familiar phrases - ones that their father used to say. He  
  
had set up a curfew, as well as various other rules, that Soda and  
  
Pony more or less obeyed. Darry felt that he was doing the right  
  
thing by being more parental than fraternal. He did feel somewhat  
  
shut out, though.  
  
2.1.1 Posted By: bsbfanatic7  
  
"Um, Sodapop." Darry began a bit hesitantly. He didn't know exactly  
  
what he was going to say to him. "Yeah?" Soda mumbled not looking up  
  
from the television. "What was that, uh, little dispute that you and  
  
Pony had the other day about?"  
  
2.1.2 Posted By: punky_molly  
  
Sodapop took an immediate interest in the whole in his shoe as he  
  
mumbled, "Ah Darry, it was nothin'."  
  
"It didn't look much like 'nothin' to me."  
  
"Really Darry, it was nothing," Soda said fingering the whole then  
  
quickly getting up and heading down the hall. He pushed the door  
  
open then flopped down onto his bed, with an exasperated sigh.  
  
Darry was in the door several seconds later, "Hey little buddy, you  
  
plan on going to work today?"  
  
Soda was instantly on his feet once again, "Crap!" He looked at the  
  
clock, 10:00; he was supposed to be there in 15 minutes. Sodapop was  
  
in the shower and out in record time, but he couldn't help but scold  
  
himself for letting everything around him get to him again.  
  
"Darry, would you drive me to work today?"  
  
"Sure," Darry sighed, he still wished his brothers would let him in  
  
their lives at least a little. "Listen I won't be home when you get  
  
off work us big grown-ups gotta work too, but Pony ought to be here  
  
you got that?"  
  
"Huh?" Soda looked up from the floorboard of the truck as he finished  
  
tying up his shoe, "Oh yeah, right Pony's supposed to be home. I got  
  
it."  
  
Darry just sighed.  
  
Soda hopped out of the car and applied a perfect Sodapop Curtis smile  
  
and headed over to the pumps. His feet fought him and his smile  
  
faded as he was frozen in his place staring at a very familiar face.  
  
"Hey Soda, how'ya been?" The beautiful blonde of Tulsa, known once as  
  
Sodapop Curtis' girlfriend, Sandy returned a smile under her lightly  
  
freckled nose and tanned face.  
  
Posted By: bsbfanatic7  
  
Sodapop stood stunned. Millions of emotions rushed over him, all at  
  
once. He was overwhelmed. How many times had he lied awake staring  
  
at the ceiling wishing for this? How many times had he cried about  
  
the possibility of never seeing her again? How many times had he  
  
prayed that she would come back to him? But she had left him. She had  
  
left him lonely and hopeless in Tulsa, Oklahoma. "But, She's back!"  
  
Soda yelled at himself silently. "Oh, please let this be real."  
  
When he had finally grasped the fact that she was standing in front  
  
of him he was only able to produce one word. "Sandy...?" She smiled  
  
at him, eyes sparkling. "I was in town, and I wanted to see you  
  
again." She said casually. Soda stepped closer to her looking  
  
directly into her eyes. Her beautiful shining eyes. Sodapop only  
  
stood there just staring at her. "Well aren't you going to say  
  
something?" She asked. "Say?" Soda thought. There were a million  
  
things he wanted to say to her. He wanted to tell her he loved her  
  
and he wanted to hold her forever. He wanted to tell her how gorgeous  
  
she was, how he had kept that image of her sparkling eyes in his mind  
  
since the day that they had met. But at that moment what he wanted  
  
to ask the most was why? "Why'd you leave me Sandy, Why!?" He wanted  
  
to yell this out but he didn't. He contained himself for a minute and  
  
smiled back at her dreamily.  
  
It was an awkward moment and Soda couldn't stand it. He couldn't hold  
  
back any longer. Sandy found herself in Soda's arms. He held her  
  
tightly to his chest and fought back sobs as best he could. She held  
  
him back, stroking his hair softly. "I'm sorry." She whispered. Oh,  
  
how he had waited for that moment. Tears trickled down his cheeks and  
  
landed on the top of her head. "Thank you so much God for bringing my  
  
Sandy back."  
  
2.1.3 Posted By: punky_molly  
  
Sandy pulled back and repeated, "I'm sorry Sodapop."  
  
Soda shook his head and smiled, "It's so good to see you again  
  
Sandy."  
  
Sandy shook her head and bit he bottom lip, "Soda it's good to  
  
see you too. I'm...I don't know how to say this...but I'm  
  
back home to get married; I wanted to get married in at my  
  
hometown."  
  
Soda was instantly thrust back to that time just a few months  
  
earlier when Sandy had disappeared for Florida; his heart  
  
ached equally to that day.  
  
"You're what?" He asked hoarsely.  
  
Sandy nodded with a solemn expression, "I didn't mean to hurt  
  
you. I made some bad choices though."  
  
"What do you mean bad choices?" Soda asked near tears.  
  
"I'm having a baby Soda."  
  
Posted By: ladyzevie  
  
He didn't reply. He couldn't. At that moment he couldn't even breathe.  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you," Sandy said quickly. "It's  
  
just been so long, I thought you'd be okay with it..."  
  
Soda stared at his former girlfriend, barely seeing her, hardly able  
  
to will himself to hear her words beyond the rush in his ears and the  
  
pounding of his breaking heart.  
  
Sandy looked away, biting down softly on her lip and pretending she  
  
didn't notice the pain in Soda's face, the tears that were slowly  
  
running down his cheeks. "Maybe this was a mistake. Maybe I shouldn't  
  
have come," she said softly.  
  
"No, no Sandy. It's okay. I'm just surprised." His voice was steady  
  
and sure. His words comforting. It was exactly what he should have  
  
said, exactly what Sandy needed to hear. He was being the wonderful  
  
man she had known and loved, the fantastic, perfectly understanding  
  
ex-boyfriend. Wonderful Sodapop. Perfect Sodapop. And how he hated  
  
himself for it.  
  
Sandy smiled, shyly, tentatively. "I didn't come to hurt you," she  
  
began, "but I...I wanted you to come."  
  
What?? What was that? He couldn't have heard properly. He must have  
  
misunderstood. She didn't mean that.  
  
"To my wedding. I mean, you were one of the most amazing people in my  
  
life. I just thought it might be nice? You could bring Darry and  
  
Ponyboy and Johnny..."  
  
He almost lost it. He almost told her to get the h*ll away from him  
  
and never come back. Soda's mouth was open, his body tense, ready to  
  
scream and rant and swear and he said:  
  
"Yeah, okay."  
  
And only when she had smiled and hugged him and waved, trotting back  
  
to the car he hadn't seen, did he turn around running, crying, and  
  
call out in desperation "STEVE!!"  
  
2.1.4 Posted By: bsbfanatic7  
  
Steve got out of his car. He had just pulled up in time to see Sandy  
  
waving goodbye. Soda ran over to him out of breath, tears covering  
  
his face, and heartache written all over him. "Soda was  
  
that...?" "Yes!" Soda cut him off. "She's getting married Steve!  
  
She's pregnant!" "What?!" Steve asked in surprise. Soda nodded, his  
  
lip trembling. Steve placed an arm around his friends shoulder. The  
  
look on Sodapop's face worried him. He hadn't seen Soda this upset in  
  
a long time. There was long silence. "Soda... Sodapop I'm so sorry."  
  
Steve finally managed to say. "I thought she'd come back to me." Soda  
  
sobbed. "I was... I was so happy, Steve. I just..." "Hey," Steve  
  
said. "It's gonna be all right, buddy. It's gonna be ok." Soda nodded  
  
and straightened up, wiping the tears away. "I'm ok." Soda lied. "You  
  
want me to drive you home?" Steve asked. Sodapop thought for a short  
  
moment and then nodded. "Yeah, ok." They got in the car and Steve  
  
drove his friend quickly back to his house. "Thanks, Steve. Listen  
  
you can go on back to work. The boss will be ticked if neither of us  
  
come today." "You sure Soda?" Steve asked. "Soda nodded. I'll be ok."  
  
he lied again. "Well, all right." Steve agreed reluctantly. "I'll see  
  
you after work then." "Ok." Soda nodded and waved goodbye to his  
  
friend walking up to his front door and swinging it open. He shut the  
  
door behind him and slowly dropped to the floor, hugging his knees  
  
and leaning against the wall. Soda began to sob endless cries of pain  
  
and hurt. Cries so loud he was sure the whole world could hear. Cries  
  
that came from the bottom of his broken heart. He cried so hard his  
  
throat hurt and his eyes grew sore. He eventually cried himself to  
  
sleep.  
  
Darry pulled up to the driveway that night. He walked up to his front  
  
door and stepped inside. The first thing he saw was his little  
  
brother red faced and asleep on the floor...  
  
2.1.4.1 Posted By: punky_molly  
  
Darry pulled Soda up onto the couch, "Soda? Soda? Are you alright?"  
  
Soda shook his head wearily and the tears threatened to return. It  
  
took him several seconds to recover and realize what was going on  
  
around him, "Yeah Dar, I'm okay. What time is it?"  
  
"Near twelve."  
  
Soda nodded, "Can we talk in the morning, I think I need a good  
  
night's sleep."  
  
Darry nodded, "Sure little buddy."  
  
Soda pulled himself up and lazily slithered down the hall. Darry  
  
watched Soda disappear and shook his head, hoping both his brothers  
  
would open up soon; they'd been so distant it was disturbing. Darry  
  
moved to get up but Soda was down the hallway standing before him as  
  
he began to move.  
  
"I thought you were tired," Darry said, surprised by Soda's quick  
  
reaction.  
  
Soda just shook it off, and asked, "Darry? Where's Ponyboy?"  
  
"You mean he's not asleep in your room?" Darry asked with quickly  
  
rising fear.  
  
Soda shook his head, "No, he's not."  
  
2.1.4.1.1.1.1.1.1 Posted By: bsbfanatic7  
  
"Didn't you see him at all this afternoon?" Darry asked. Soda shook  
  
his head. I've been sleeping all day. I wouldn't have known if he  
  
came in." "What do you mean you've been sleeping all day? I dropped  
  
you of at work." "I came back home." Soda said really not wanting to  
  
explain but he knew Darry would want to know immediately. Darry was  
  
about to say something but just then the phone rang. "Saved by the  
  
bell." Soda thought. Darry picked up the phone right away. "Hello?  
  
"Hey, it's Steve. Is Soda there? I've been calling for hours and  
  
nobody's picked up." "Yeah, hang on a second." Darry said and handed  
  
the phone to Soda. "It's Steve. Ask him if he's seen Ponyboy." Darry  
  
said. "Hey Steve. Yeah, I'm ok. Hey, listen have you seen Pony  
  
anywhere? All right well I gotta go. Ok bye." Soda hung up. "Well?"  
  
Darry asked. Sodapop shook his head. "He doesn't know." Darry sighed  
  
and brushed back his hair nervously. This was not good. Last time  
  
Ponyboy had done this there had been big trouble.  
  
Posted By: Lorelai Anastasia  
  
After twenty minutes of waiting, pacing, and worrying, Darry decided to go  
  
out looking for Ponyboy in his truck.  
  
"I'll be back, Soda, I'm goin to look for Ponyboy," Darry called to his  
  
brother.  
  
"Alright. Just bring him back, Darry. Please." Soda watched his brother  
  
leave, a silent prayer in his heart.  
  
Darry scoured street after street, getting more worried every second. What if  
  
something had happened to Pony? His baby brother. He didn't have to worry  
  
long. As he rounded the corner of Pickett and Sutton, he saw Ponyboy leaning  
  
on a street sign with Tim and Angela Shepard, calmly sipping a beer.  
  
Posted By: bsbfanatic7  
  
"So anyways then we was..." Tim stopped talking when he noticed  
  
Darry's truck on the other side of the road. "Hey, Pony don't look  
  
now but I think your brothers looking for you." Pony looked to were  
  
Tim was pointing and almost choked on his sip of beer. He put the  
  
bottle down quickly. Darry was looking straight at him. He rolled  
  
down the window motioning for Pony to come over. "I gotta go guys."  
  
Ponyboy told his friends slightly above a whisper. Pony started  
  
towards Darry's car on the other side of the road leaving his beer  
  
behind of course. He reached Darry's car and got in slowly afraid of  
  
what Darry'd do. After Ponyboy had his seat belt on Darry swerved  
  
back onto the road and drove home quickly. He fought the urge to rant  
  
and rave. He at least wanted to wait until they got home.  
  
2.1.4.1.2 Posted By: punky_molly  
  
"Ponyboy," Darry bombed nearly shattering all the windows of the  
  
Curtis home with the force he used to shout.  
  
"Darry, I just-"  
  
Darry held up a hand for his brother to silence, "I'm exhausted! I'm  
  
tired of all this! You're lucky today, I want you to go to your room  
  
and sleep because that's what I'm going to do...go to my room and  
  
sleep; but don't even begin to think this is over. You got that?"  
  
"I got it!" Pony answered. And with that he turned and disappeared  
  
in his room. Darry looked over to a wide eyed Sodapop, and before  
  
Soda could say anything Darry turned and stomped off to his bedroom.  
  
Quickly slamming the door Darry went to his father's old armchair  
  
that he used to sit in and read the paper while Mrs. Curtis made  
  
supper. He picked up the picture of his parents that sat on his  
  
bureau and flopped lazily into the chair. "Pa, guide me," Darry told  
  
the picture. "What would you do?"  
  
Soda slowly peeled himself off the couch and trounced over to the  
  
bedroom he still shared with his kid brother.  
  
"Hey Pon."  
  
Pony was sprawled out across the bed, face buried in his arms as he  
  
sobbed, "He didn't even listen to me Soda! He didn't even give me a  
  
chance!"  
  
2.1.4.1.2.1 Posted By: bsbfanatic7  
  
"Well, tell me." Sodapop said. "I'm listening. What in the world was  
  
he so mad about?" Pony did his best to stop crying. "To make a long  
  
story short, I was drinking beer with my friends and he saw me." Well  
  
that explains it." Soda sighed. "It doesn't matter." Pony said lying  
  
his head back down. "I could come up with a brilliant excuse and he'd  
  
still act the same way. Soda lied down next to his brother and put an  
  
arm across him, ruffling his hair. "It'll be ok Pon. He'll be cooled  
  
of in the morning." "Tomorrow Morning..." Pony groaned. "I don't even  
  
want to think about it." Soda had a flashback of what had happened  
  
with Sandy played back in his head and he remembered Darry finding  
  
him sleeping on the floor. He'd have some questions to answer in the  
  
morning too. "I wish he'd back off." Ponyboy said. "Yeah, I know."  
  
Soda agreed. Pony continued. "He doesn't give us much space.  
  
Especially since all that's happened. "Why's he gotta be involved in  
  
our personal and social lives anyhow.?" "Well he does have some say  
  
in it." Soda pointed out. "Well, I wish he'd just let me grow up."  
  
Pony said. They talked for a while more but soon fell asleep.  
  
Darry waited at the breakfast table the next morning impatiently for  
  
his brothers to come. He needed to talk to both of them. He didn't  
  
know whether to be more worried about what had been bothering Sodapop  
  
so much or his youngest brothers misbehavior.  
  
Posted By: ladyzevie  
  
Soda woke slowly, to the delightful smell of food. He shoved himself  
  
off the bed, and staggered to his feet, yawning widely.  
  
"Wake up Pon," he said groggily. "Darry made breakfast." He stumbled  
  
out into the kitchen and came face to face with his stern looking  
  
brother.  
  
"Alright," Darry pointed at the chairs around the kitchen table, "you  
  
first. Sit down. You don't get any food until you tell me what's  
  
going on."  
  
Soda stifled a groan but sat down obediently. "What do you mean?"  
  
Darry sat down beside him and raised his eyebrows. "I mean, what's  
  
going on, little buddy. Why were you sleeping on the carpet? Too  
  
tired to walk the extra two feet to the couch?"  
  
Soda waved off his brother's sarcasm. "I WAS tired."  
  
Darry gave him a look.  
  
"But if you really have to know I was kinda upset," Soda added  
  
hastily. "I met someone..."  
  
"Someone? Like..?"  
  
"Sdy," Soda mumbled, suddenly looking away.  
  
Darry snorted. "What?"  
  
"SNDY." Soda's ears were tinged pink.  
  
"Who-"  
  
"Sandy!" he yelled suddenly.  
  
Darry went quiet. He hadn't expected that.  
  
Soda picked a hole in the checkered tablecloth, refusing to meet  
  
Darry's eyes. "She's getting married. Some guy...she wants us to  
  
come. I told her we would. Okay?" He said all this very quickly.  
  
"Soda, are you sure you can handle it?" Darry said urgently.  
  
Soda looked at his brother, his face determined. "Sure. Why not? Me  
  
and her...that was so long ago. It's no big deal." He looked back to  
  
the hole. "But you'll come with me...right?" he asked in a small  
  
voice.  
  
Darry shrugged and tried to keep his voice neutral. "Sure thing,  
  
Pepsi-Cola. We'll both be there. Me and...Ponyboy! Up so early? Why  
  
it's nearly 10 o'clock!"  
  
Ponyboy walked into the kitchen, rubbing the sleep from his  
  
eyes. "Lay off Darry I was tired," he grumbled.  
  
"Well, maybe that was because you were off running with hoods at 12  
  
o'clock last night."  
  
2.1.4.1.2.1.1 Posted By: punky_molly  
  
Ponyboy pushed past his brothers and sat down, "Well, where's the  
  
food?"  
  
"No food until you tell me what you were doing with those hoods?"  
  
Darry folded his arms over his chest.  
  
"Darry I'm starving," Pony moaned.  
  
"Yes, and you'll continue to starve until you tell me what the hell  
  
you were thinking!" Darry boomed.  
  
"I wasn't thinking," Pony said, then he continued this time  
  
mumbling, "They ain't hoods."  
  
"They aren't what?"  
  
"Nothing," Pony got up and headed out of the room with his head at  
  
the floor. Darry didn't hesitate; he followed his brother out into  
  
the living room.  
  
"Ponyboy!" Darry shouted, but he went silent when he reached the  
  
living room, for in the doorway stood Sandy.  
  
"Hey," she said from behind the screen door, "is Sodapop here?"  
  
Posted By: sesalian  
  
"Yeah," said Darry, "He's in the kitchen." He moved out of the way  
  
so she could open the door and come in, trying to study her without  
  
staring. He wanted to know how she'd changed... if she'd changed. She  
  
looked the same. Sort of. But there was something different about  
  
her. She walked past him and into the kitchen, avoiding eye contact.  
  
He sighed, and turned to Ponyboy.  
  
But Pony was gone. Cursing softly, Dally realized where he'd probably  
  
gone. Tim's. He didn't know what would happen to Pony if he continued  
  
to hang out around Tim. But living with him.... His little kid  
  
brother, turning into a Tim or a Dally and getting himself killed at  
  
age 20. He turned and walked outside. He didn't know if he should go  
  
to Tim's or not.  
  
2.1.4.1.2.1.1.1 Posted By: bsbfanatic7  
  
Darry looked out the door. He didn't know whether to go find out  
  
what was going on in the kitchen with Soda or go find out if Pony was  
  
over at Tim's. He was mad Ponyboy had left like that without saying  
  
he was going anywhere but those thoughts were interrupted when he  
  
heard a yell from the kitchen. "Who do you think you are!?" Soda  
  
bellowed. Darry rushed in. Soda has lost all patience. He couldn't  
  
stand it anymore. "How can you just come walking back in here one day  
  
and expect me to except all this and go on happily with my life?  
  
You're acting like this is easy for me. I tried to stay calm but I  
  
can't take it anymore!" He was yelling at Sandy. Darry was shocked.  
  
Sodapop had never yelled at her before. Not ever. He hardly yelled at  
  
anyone. Sandy was close to tears. "Soda, I told you I'm awful sorry  
  
about all this. I know it's shocking." "Well, I don't care anymore!"  
  
Soda lied. "I hope you and your beloved boyfriend have a swell  
  
wedding and a swell time raising that baby, but don't expect me to be  
  
beside you for any of it!" Soda marched out of there. Darry grabbed  
  
his arm but Soda pulled away. "Leave me alone, Darry!" Soda ran out  
  
of the Curtis's front door and down the street.  
  
Darry sat at the kitchen table twenty minutes later in deep thought.  
  
Sandy had left and gone back home or wherever she was staying shortly  
  
after Soda ran out the door. He had to find his brothers. Who knows  
  
where both of them had ran off to. He just didn't know who to go  
  
searching for first. He got up finally and went out to get in his  
  
truck and drove into the main part of town. There was no point  
  
sitting in the kitchen hoping they'd return home soon.  
  
Posted By: punky_molly  
  
Darry scoured the town unable to locate either of his  
  
brother's in his heated rage. He finally pulled into an empty  
  
parking lot and turned the truck off. He got out and stood in the  
  
fresh air for several seconds just thinking when he heard a familiar  
  
voice.  
  
"Hey-hey-hey!" Darry turned just in time to see Two-bit  
  
sling an arm across his shoulders and lean limply at Darry's  
  
side, "Darry, what're you doin' out over here?"  
  
"I'm looking for either of my brother's. You seen `em?"  
  
Two-bit blinked awkwardly, and Darry knew he'd been  
  
drinking. Whenever Two-bit got a complacent yet confused look on his  
  
face he'd been in the booze, "Uh, yeah; I think I saw Pon headed down  
  
to the movie theater."  
  
Darry's eyes went wide and he grabbed the tipsy Two-bit by  
  
his leather jacket, "Of course, why hadn't I thought of that!"  
  
Roughly swinging his intoxicated friend into the truck Darry roared  
  
up the engine.  
  
"Whoa," Two-bit smiled cheerily as he nearly fell onto  
  
Darry's lap, "where we goin' so fast?"  
  
It wasn't until that moment that Darry realized Two-bit  
  
wasn't only drunk, he had been jumped. He was far too concerned  
  
about his brothers to notice Two-bit at all and he felt like a real  
  
heel because Two-bit looked like hell. There must've been a bunch of  
  
them because Two-bit's a tough guy and can definitely hold his own  
  
but he had a serious slash running from his temple under his eye  
  
toward his nose and several ugly appearing bruises.  
  
Posted By: ladyzevie  
  
"I was thinking we'd go searching for Pony, but maybe we oughta take  
  
a detour for the doctor's." Darry reached over and gently touched a  
  
finger to the cut on Two-Bit's face. The drunken greaser jerked back,  
  
wincing lightly.  
  
"Dun touch," he mumbled.  
  
Darry shook his head, staring at his friend and nearly running  
  
through a red light. He slammed on the breaks at the very last  
  
minute, throwing them both forward onto the dashboard. Darry took the  
  
opportunity to question Two-Bit. "What the hell happened, huh?"  
  
Two-Bit shrugged. "Shoshes," he slurred, laying his head down on the  
  
dashboard. "They jumped on me."  
  
The light changed and Darry put the pedal to the metal [A/N: love that  
  
saying] jolting Two-Bit back into his seat.  
  
"They're getting mighty brave these days," he muttered, his eyes  
  
glued to the road in front of him.  
  
"Darry-"  
  
"Where'd you say you saw Pony?"  
  
"Darry, I'm getting-"  
  
"Movie theater? You know which one?"  
  
"Your car!" Two-Bit yelped, and Darry swerved. "I'm getting blood on  
  
it."  
  
Swearing under his breath, Darry glanced around the cab of the truck.  
  
He knew he'd left some tissues somewhere. Two-Bit was really in bad  
  
shape. Darry finally spied the cardboard box, squished under his  
  
chair. He reached down, taking his gaze from the road for just one  
  
second...  
  
WHAM! They slammed into the next car hard. Two-Bit, not having the  
  
sense to put on his seatbelt (drunk or sober) was thrown forward  
  
violently, and was only saved from cracking is head on the window by  
  
Darry's outstretched arm. Consequently, Darry found himself banged up  
  
against the steering wheel, which was a lot harder than he'd expected  
  
it to be.  
  
Cursing his carelessness, Darry shoved back Two-Bit and leapt from  
  
his seat, anxious to inspect the damage. If he'd hit them too  
  
hard...the last thing he needed was a trip to court.  
  
He waited on the sidewalk, grimacing at the beaten up car he'd hit.  
  
The door slowly opened, and, amongst a stream of viscous curses, out  
  
stepped the last person Darry wanted to see: Tim Sheppard.  
  
Posted By: bsbfanatic7  
  
Tim wasn't exactly thrilled to see Darry either. Darry might try to  
  
break his jaw for giving boos to Pony but at the moment Tim was  
  
to mad about his car. "Look what you did!" He yelled. They had  
  
broken of the hubcap but that was it. Tim was fine. They hadn't  
  
hit the car to hard. "Yah, I'm real sorry about that Tim." Darry  
  
replied sincerely. "You ok." Tim grumbled. "Listen just find out  
  
how much am damage costs to fix and I'll pay for it." Darry said.  
  
Tim was satisfied enough with Darry's response. "Fair enough."  
  
He said looking over at Two-Bit now noticing how bashed up he  
  
was and forgetting for a moment about his hubcap. "What  
  
happened to you?" "Two-Bit belched in response and got back in  
  
Darry's truck. He was to boozed up to be thinking clearly. Darry  
  
rolled his eyes. "Listen Tim, like I said I'm real sorry but were  
  
kind of having an emergency right now so I gotta go. Just call me  
  
when you find out how much and I'll give you a check, ok?" Tim  
  
nodded. It was surprising and relieving that he wasn't more  
  
upset. Darry nodded at him as if to say goodbye and got back in  
  
his truck to find a half asleep Two-Bit. He sighed and drove more  
  
slowly towards the movie theatre.  
  
Posted By: starjessie2001  
  
Darry glanced over at Two-Bit, torn between continuing towards  
  
the theatre to find his kid brother or taking Two-Bit to a doctor.  
  
He was concerned that if Two-Bit had already been jumped there could  
  
still be a Soc or two out looking for a Greaser to jump & he was  
  
determined to get Ponyboy off the streets & out of harms way. "Two-  
  
Bit, will you be o.k. if we go get Pony before we go see a doctor?"  
  
"Yeah, we better get the kid first or there could be two of us  
  
needing a doctor if those Soc guys find him first," Two-Bit answered  
  
groggily.  
  
Darry nodded thankfully & drove carefully to the theater, not  
  
wanting a repeat of the Tim accident. As he drove, Darry began  
  
rehashing the events of the past few days in his head. His middle  
  
brother torn up over his ex-girlfriend, his kid brother acting out  
  
all of a sudden, Two-Bit getting jumped, himself struggling to find  
  
enough work to keep the money coming in & now the expense of having  
  
to pay for both repairs to Tim's & his own truck. He wondered how  
  
much worse things could get before they got better. Thinking back to  
  
the deaths of Johnny & Dally he knew that things could get much worse  
  
again before they improved. He was scared! Everybody thought he  
  
would always handle everything but he wasn't sure just how much he  
  
could handle. Exhaling deeply he resignedly pushed his feelings &  
  
worries down-he'd have to handle things...who the heck would if he  
  
didn't?  
  
Posted By: bsbfanatic7  
  
He found Ponyboy shortly after to his relief. He was walking along,  
  
almost at the theatre but as far as Darry was concerned he wouldn't  
  
get there. Darry pulled over beside his brother who hadn't noticed  
  
him until Darry got out of the truck. "Ponyboy, I am sick of you  
  
running of like this. Get in the car!" "I aint gonna." Pony replied  
  
surprisingly cocky. It didn't help Darry's temper. He took a firm  
  
hold of Pony's arm and forced him into the truck. Pony sat in the  
  
back angrily rubbing his arm where Darry had grabbed him, probably  
  
harder than he had intended. Pony noticed Two-Bit right away. "What  
  
happened to him?" "He got jumped." Darry said plainly. "We're taking  
  
him to the Emergency Room and then we are gonna go find Soda,  
  
wherever his is." "Where'd Sodapop go?" Ponyboy asked. "If I knew I  
  
wouldn't be out here looking for him, now would I?" Darry said, a bit  
  
annoyed. "No." Pony said meekly. 


	2. Chapter 2

1.1.1.1.1 Posted By: starjessie2001  
  
Ponyboy sat in the truck unsure whether to say anything to the  
  
other two or not. Darry was furious & he was worried about what he  
  
was going to do to him after taking Two-Bit to the hospital. He  
  
hoped they would be a while at the emergency room so Darry would have  
  
a chance to calm down. "Darry was always overreacting," thought  
  
Ponyboy. He wanted to tell Darry to "chill out," but he knew he  
  
would get flattened for a remark like that. Pony sat staring out the  
  
window, figuring that was the safer option for the remainder of the  
  
trip to the hospital. He hated hospitals & wished Darry had dropped  
  
him home first, but he didn't dare ask.  
  
They finally arrived at the emergency room. Darry & Pony  
  
helped Two-Bit out of the truck & half carried, half dragged him  
  
through the doors. A nurse hurried over & immediately settled Two-  
  
Bit in a wheelchair. Handing Darry a bundle of forms, the nurse  
  
checked Two-Bit to assess his condition then muttered that she would  
  
be back soon with a doctor. Darry filled out the forms as best he  
  
could. Two-Bit was too drunk & in too much pain to be of any help.  
  
The nurse reappeared with a doctor, who briefly questioned Darry  
  
about what had happened. Looking slightly disgusted with the  
  
situation, the doctor wheeled Two-Bit to a room & examined him while  
  
Darry & Pony waited outside.  
  
   
  
Posted By: fudgegirl890  
  
Pony sat there, biting his nails and staring at the receptionist's  
  
counter. They've been sitting there for awhile and he was dreading  
  
two things: Two-Bit's condition and lecture number 105 (getting  
  
drunk) from Darry. He knew that Two-Bit was going to be just fine,  
  
nothing serious, but lectures from Darry are never fun. Especially  
  
when he has to start it off.  
  
"Da-Darry?" Ponyboy started. "I-" He paused. "Look, I am sorry ab-"  
  
"Pony," Darry sighed. "I really don't want to hear it." He rubbed the  
  
back of his neck, stressed.  
  
"Fine." Ponyboy sat back in his chair, avoiding eye contact. If Darry  
  
didn't want to talk about it, it was fine with him.  
  
"I was meaning I don't want to hear that you are sorry, okay? I am  
  
sick of you screwing up. You know when you are doing something wrong  
  
and when you are messing up." Darry told him, surprisingly not that  
  
angrily. Of course he was mad, who wouldn't be? But he didn't seem as  
  
mad as before.  
  
"I know."  
  
"Then why the heck did you do it?" He asked. "We have been through  
  
this before. I thought you said you hated the stuff. Why are you  
  
doing it again?"  
  
"I'm sorry Darry. I don't feel like talking about it. What I chose to  
  
do is my own business." Forget talking about it rationally. There was  
  
no way that he was going to tell explain everything. Darry wouldn't  
  
think he was being logical.  
  
"Your apology means nothing to me Pony!" Darry said. "Now tell me why  
  
the hell you were drinking!"  
  
Pony felt like someone had punched him in the stomach. Since when has  
  
Darry never accepted an apology...? Except that one time...  
  
"I told you. It ain't any of your business." He stood up.  
  
"Sit down Pony!" Darry grabbed his arm and made him sit down. "I am  
  
ordering you to tell me. Now!" He said, his voice still raised,  
  
looking him in the eyes.  
  
Pony tried to stare him down too, but found that he could. He gulped  
  
and looked away. No way he was going to tell him. He wouldn't  
  
understand. He felt his chin quiver slightly and he tried not to cry.  
  
Greasers don't cry. Especially in front of Darry.  
  
"Pony?" Darry's tone changed. "Come on baby. Is it really that bad?"  
  
Ponyboy sniffed. "You wouldn't understand."  
  
"How many excuses are there for drinking?" Darry asked confused.  
  
"Darry! It had nothing to do with drinking, okay?" Pony almost broke  
  
down. "I need to get new friends," he paused. "I thought that if I  
  
started to hang out with Angela...and Tim, that...that it will be  
  
easier to get over Johnny and Dallas."  
  
That obviously wasn't the answer that Darrel was expecting. He paused  
  
for a second. "What does that have to do with you drinking?" He asked  
  
confused. "I don't get it."  
  
"I told you you wouldn't," Pony said.  
  
"Okay Pony. Enough of this beating around the bush thing. Just tell  
  
me. You are in enough trouble as it is," Darry said getting stressed  
  
again. He felt bad, but it wasn't making any sense to him.  
  
Pony stayed quiet for a minute. It was so hard for him to begin. "I -  
  
I thought...that if I was going to hang out with them...that I was  
  
going to have to do the stuff that were doing. And if that includes  
  
drinking, it includes drinking," Pony said, collecting himself. "You  
  
dig?"  
  
   
  
Posted By: bsbfanatic7  
  
Darry placed his head in his hands and sighed deeply. "Gosh it's hard  
  
to parent." he thought. "So you were drinking only so Tim and Angela  
  
would except you?" Darry asked. Pony nodded.  
  
"Well you'd better listen up kiddo." Darry said more seriously "You  
  
aint gonna do it again. If you need to drink with them in order to  
  
talk with them than it isn't a friendship that I'm permitting."  
  
"Aw, just lay off Darry. It aint your business."  
  
"It is my business, Ponyboy Curtis. You're my responsibility and  
  
everything that you do goes through me first.  
  
Do you understand?" Darry asked.  
  
"Well I-" Pony started but Two-Bit walked out bandaged, with  
  
stitches, and on crutches. Darry and Pony stood up and helped him out  
  
to the car after Darry signed some final papers.  
  
"Do either one of you have any idea where Sodapop might've gone?"  
  
Darry asked as they got in the car and he turned on the engine. They  
  
both shook their heads.  
  
"Two-Bit want a ride home or do you wanna come with us?" Darry  
  
asked. "I'll come with you's." Two-Bit replied still drunk. "I do  
  
like a good adventure."  
  
Darry hardly considered it an adventure. He was worried. Soda'd been  
  
gone for hours now and in the state he was in when he left the house  
  
Darry didn't know where he'd ran off to.  
  
Posted By: fudgegirl890  
  
Soda sat in the movie theater and tried to pay attention to the  
  
movie, but he couldn't. But now he could understand why Ponyboy liked  
  
to go so much. You can think, and you can be alone, and you can think.  
  
He couldn't believe that Sandy had actually come back. It took him so  
  
long to get over her, and when he finally does, she comes back. Well  
  
that wouldn't be so bad if she hadn't been married.  
  
-  
  
"Darry, let's go here first," Pony said as they came to The  
  
Dingo. "If he is going to go anywhere, he will probably go somewhere  
  
that he thinks we won't look."  
  
"Okay," Darry said. "Why not." He pulled into the parking lot and got  
  
out. "You guys stay here okay? I'll be back. I'm gonna go in and  
  
check it out, savvy?"  
  
"Yup," Two-Bit said, still totally cronked.  
  
-  
  
  
  
"Soda?" Darry walked down the isle of seats. He looked around, trying  
  
to see him through all the people sitting scattered around.  
  
"Hey Soda!" He whispered loudly. He could see him slouched down in  
  
the middle row, munching on popcorn and Mike and Ikes. Okay, so more  
  
like throwing pieces of popcorn a the back of peoples heads.  
  
Soda jerked his head around and saw him. His face fell. "Hey Darry."  
  
"Come on," Darry motioned to the exit. "I think it's time you get  
  
home."  
  
Soda rolled his eyes and got up. Darry draped an arm across his  
  
shoulders as he slumped out.  
  
-  
  
"You guys gotta stop doing this to me." Darry sighed as they drove  
  
home. "I swear, if you keep putting me through of all this, I am  
  
gonna beat the tar out of you." They knew he was joking, partly...  
  
"Yah me too!" Two-Bit drawled. "Do you have any idea what you two put  
  
me through? I have been worried outa my mind. I oughta smack you a  
  
good one upside da-"  
  
"Shut up Two-Bit." Pony said grumpy.  
  
1.2 Posted By: fudgegirl890  
  
"Pony, you can't drink just to make friends," Darry said, sitting at  
  
Pony's desk. "You're smarter than that."  
  
"I know," Pony mumbled quietly from his position on the bed. "Please  
  
don't be mad, Darry."  
  
Darry gave a short laugh. "Don't be mad? Pony-" he stopped and  
  
sighed. He had tried to consider what Ponyboy had told him earlier on  
  
that day. It didn't make much sense, and it didn't help in making him  
  
any less mad. "Da**it Ponyboy. We're just as upset about Dallas and  
  
Johnny, but you don't see me going out and drinking."  
  
Pony closed his eyes and just lied there. He knew he wasn't going to  
  
understand, but in away...he was right. Darry and Soda didn't go and  
  
drink to make new friends. They didn't have to. They knew that they  
  
had each other and Two-Bit and Steve still. They were hurting, but  
  
they didn't do stupid stuff. But still, that wasn't how Pony had been  
  
feeling at the time of the crime. "I'm sorry Darry."  
  
"Pony, you know I have ta do something. I told you last time that if  
  
you ever drank again that it was going to be worst then two weeks,"  
  
Darry said. He told him that he had better not do it ever again or he  
  
was going to skin him alive. "Three weeks Ponyboy Curtis, and  
  
consider yourself lucky. Savvy?"  
  
Pony rolled his eyes.  
  
Posted By: bsbfanatic7  
  
Darry got up to leave. "And Pony... Don't let me catch you out of  
  
this room, understand?" Pony sat up and let his shoulders  
  
drop. "Yeah." he mumbled.  
  
Darry walked out leaving a depressed Ponyboy on the bed and went to  
  
see if Soda was ok. He was stretched out on the living room couch  
  
staring at the ceiling. "Sodapop." Darry said walking over and  
  
sitting down on the small space left on the couch. Soda continued to  
  
stare at the ceiling. He really didn't want to talk about it. Darry  
  
continued and asked the question that had been bothering him since  
  
that morning when Soda had mentioned something about a baby. "She's  
  
pregnant, huh?" Soda nodded. "Well you left out that part when I  
  
talked to you earlier today. How come?" "I dunno." Soda mumbled. "It  
  
was bad enough admitting that she was getting married." Soda sat up  
  
and stared at the floor. Darry put an arm around him and rubbed his  
  
back.  
  
"What she say that made you so upset this morning? I aint never seen  
  
you yell at her before." "She says she wants me to try and  
  
understand. She still wants to be friends, she..." Soda paused as  
  
tears spilled down his face. "Oh, Darry! I can't stand it! I aint  
  
never felt the same way about anyone before!" Soda yelled. "I love  
  
her and she's getting married and I can't ever be with her!" Soda  
  
burst out in loud sobs. He couldn't hold it back any longer. It was  
  
to much emotion to hold in. Darry pulled Soda close and tried to  
  
comfort his little brother as he sobbed into his shoulder. "It's  
  
gonna be ok, Pepsi-Cola. It's gonna be all right." "No it's not."  
  
Soda half spoke half sobbed. Darry held onto Sodapop and rubbed his  
  
head gently. "It's gonna be ok, baby." Darry soothed. Soda cried into  
  
Darry's shoulder until he got to tired to cry anymore.  
  
"I don't think you should go to that wedding." Darry stated quite  
  
certain of himself. "No. I want to." Soda sniffled. "Only if you are  
  
sure you can handle it." Darry said. Soda didn't answer. He really  
  
didn't know if he could. "Why don't you come have something to eat.  
  
You didn't have anything before you left this morning." Soda nodded  
  
because he was hungry. They both got up and walked to the kitchen and  
  
Darry made sandwiches. "Hey Darry, Pony aint had nothing to eat  
  
neither. Can't he come out for lunch?" "I know he aint. I'll bring  
  
him something. Don't worry." Darry sighed as he thought about all the  
  
things that had been going on. "I'm gonna make things right." He told  
  
himself silently. "I have to and I will."  
  
1.3 Posted By: totallyindie411  
  
Darry walked into Ponyboy's room and placed the plate with the  
  
sandwich down on the desk.  
  
"Here's your food," He said, startling his brother.  
  
"What?" Ponyboy snapped out of his daze.  
  
"I said here's your food," Darry repeated.  
  
"Thanks," Ponyboy mumbled, mouth already full of sandwich. "How's  
  
Soda? Is he okay?"  
  
"Do ya have to talk with your mouth full?" Darry sighed, exasperated.  
  
"Sorry," Ponyboy lowered his eyes. He could never do anything right  
  
these days and it seemed as if he was snapped at for the tiniest  
  
things. Darry felt a twinge of guilt looking at his brother's  
  
downcast face. He didn't mean to get angry so quickly, but what with  
  
Pony drinking, Soda crying over Sandy, Two-bit getting hurt...the  
  
list went on and on.  
  
"It's all right," Darry shook himself out of his own daze. "Soda's  
  
okay."  
  
"Can I go talk to him?" Ponyboy asked hopefully. Darry fixed him with  
  
a stern gaze.  
  
"What was that I said about leaving your room?"  
  
"Whatever," Ponyboy looked away again, making it clear that the  
  
conversation was over.  
  
"Ponyboy, don't-"  
  
"I said whatever!"  
  
"Don't take that tone of voice with-"  
  
A scream from the front room ended the conversation and the two  
  
brothers looked at each other before running out.  
  
Posted By: fudgegirl890  
  
Soda was sitting there, struck dumb. As far as the others could see,  
  
no one else was in the house. What was going on?  
  
"Soda?" Darry asked gently. "What's wrong buddy?"  
  
"I-I-" Soda started to sweat and shake. He couldn't tell Darry. Not  
  
yet. He would go ballistic. "Pony, come with me for a minute." He  
  
stood up, shaking. "I have to talk to you about something."  
  
Darry stood there as his little brothers left the room. Suddenly, he  
  
felt more left out and un-included then he had in...forever. He had  
  
been feeling like they were drifting away from him, but until now, he  
  
didn't really think that it was that big of a deal.  
  
-  
  
"Pony," Soda said, "I ain't never told this to anyone, but-" he  
  
gulped.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I - you - you know how Sandy is - pregnant?" Soda asked,  
  
scared. "Well..."  
  
Pony nodded for him to continue, but part way through got the  
  
picture. "Oh my gosh." He yelled and Soda clamped a hand over his  
  
mouth to silence him.  
  
"Shh!" He said. After a moment, he carefully removed his hand from  
  
Pony's wide-eyed face, daring him to say something else.  
  
"Are you saying that - that - oh my gosh - I can't even say it." Pony  
  
backed away from him. "You - you - got her pregnant?" He grabbed the  
  
doorknob.  
  
"Pony, please!" Soda begged. "Don't say anything! Not yet!"  
  
"Soda!" He yelled. "What were you thinking?"  
  
"I don't know for sure, if - if it is because of me, okay?" Soda  
  
silenced him again.  
  
Pony shook his head. His big, older, handsome brother just revealed  
  
something to him that he couldn't believe. "I can't believe you,  
  
Sodapop Curtis." He opened the door to leave. "Darry has to know!"  
  
Soda jumped up and ran after him.  
  
Darry heard an OOOF! and a 'Get off of me!' and he ran to the boys  
  
room.  
  
   
  
1.4 Posted By totallyindie411  
  
Darry rushed into the boy's room to see Soda and Ponyboy wrestling on  
  
the floor, Ponyboy screaming for Soda to get off and Soda screaming  
  
for Ponyboy to shut up.  
  
"Everyone, shut up!" Darry roared and the two boys fell silent. "Soda  
  
what the hell are you doing?" Soda didn't know what to say and sat  
  
back, still sitting on top of Ponyboy.  
  
"Can you get the hell off of me?" Ponyboy grunted and pushed hard  
  
against Soda. Soda didn't move, knowing that he was in no uncertain  
  
terms, screwed.  
  
"Soda, I asked you a question," Darry gritted his teeth. "What the  
  
hell is wrong with you?" Once again, Soda failed to answer and  
  
silently climbed off of Ponyboy, retreating to the far wall of the  
  
bedroom. He proceeded to stand quietly at the window, staring out at  
  
the bleak scenery. Darry stood in shock, disbelieving that Soda would  
  
blatantly ignore his question. He stepped over and pulled Ponyboy up  
  
saying to him, "What is his deal?" Ponyboy looked over at his  
  
brother, Soda and turned back to Darry saying,  
  
"Nothing." Darry and Sodapop both looked at Ponyboy in shock.  
  
"I don't believe this," Darry growled. "You can both just stay here  
  
then until one of you decides to tell me what the hell is going on."  
  
The older man stalked out of the room, leaving Soda and Ponyboy alone  
  
together in their room.  
  
"Ponyboy..." Soda swallowed hard. "Why didn't you tell?"  
  
1.4.1.1 Posted By: sesalian  
  
Pony shrugged, looking at the ground. "I.... Its none of my  
  
business.... I guess. I mean, it is.... sort of.... but.... Oh, I  
  
don't know. I wouldn't have wanted you telling Darry about my  
  
drinking, and Tim, and Angela."  
  
"Hey, Pony, what has been going on with you?" Soda asked  
  
quietly. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but I've  
  
been worrying so much about Sandy... and stuff, I haven't even asked."  
  
"How much do you know about?" asked Ponyboy, still staring at the  
  
floor.  
  
"Well, Darry told me he found you out drinking with Tim and Angela."  
  
Ponyboy nodded at the floor.  
  
"But.... why?"  
  
Pony looked up finally. Maybe Soda would be able to understand. "I  
  
don't really know why," he told him. "I gotta hang out with somebody,  
  
and ever since Dally and Johnny died, I feel like none of the old  
  
gang really wants me anymore. We ain't gettin together as often as we  
  
did before. And all my friends from school have acted all weird since  
  
Me and Johnny killed that soc. No one understands me anymore. I  
  
thought maybe Tim and Angela would. I think they did, for a while..."  
  
Pony trailed off. "But it scares me," He started again, almost  
  
panicked. "I don't want to be understood by people like Tim. Doesn't  
  
that make me a hood? I don't want to be like Tim or Dally or some  
  
other hood!" He stopped, looking down again, avoiding looking at  
  
Soda.  
  
1.5 Posted By: fudgegirl890  
  
"No," Soda said, a little shocked. "Of course that don't make you a  
  
hood.  
  
"And why do you say that?" Pony asked confused. "If anything, it  
  
does."  
  
"No. Look at us. We hung out with Dally all the time, didn't we?"  
  
Soda stressed a point.  
  
Pony nodded. "But he wasn't exactly a bad person, Soda. He doesn't  
  
count."  
  
"Yeah, he does. Pony, there is something you gotta understand," he  
  
said. "Just because someone is a hood, doesn't make them a bad  
  
person. Hood is a classification, not a personality."  
  
"So then it would be okay if I was a hood?" Pony asked.  
  
"If you become a hood, Ponyboy Curtis," Soda said, "I swear I will  
  
kick your ass. You hear me? Don't you dare even think about it  
  
anymore." He laughed. Pony was a little confused.  
  
"Soda," Pony said, "you almost sounded like Darry there."  
  
1.6 Posted By: totallyindie411  
  
"Oh so he's getting some sense into him, then," Darry re-entered the  
  
room. Allowing Soda and Ponyboy to be alone, had done everything but  
  
calm him down. He was now more mad than ever. Ponyboy and Soda  
  
exchanged glances; they were really going to get it now. "Sodapop, I  
  
want to know right now what the deal is. Savvy?" Soda glared at him.  
  
"Fine, then." He snapped, "You really want to know?" Darry gave him  
  
a 'duh' look. "I told you how Sandy's pregnant?" Darry nodded. "Well,  
  
there is a chance that- that the baby could- could be mine." A hard  
  
slap across the face drove him back.  
  
1.7 Posted By: bsbfanatic7  
  
Soda held his cheek were Darry had struck him. He could feel it  
  
turning red. Darry sighed. He'd done it again, except this time to  
  
the other brother. His temper was to much for him and the words that  
  
had just came out of Soda's mouth were not at all what he'd been  
  
expecting. It was far worse than whatever he was  
  
expecting. "Soda..." Darry began. He didn't know if he should start  
  
yelling at his brother or telling him he was sorry about hitting him  
  
even though a small part of him thought Soda deserved it but most of  
  
him felt horrible about it.  
  
Soda just stood there holding his cheek in utter shock and close to  
  
tears. Ponyboy looked just as shocked and he wanted to say something  
  
but he was afraid Darry would hit him too. Darry had never struck him  
  
before. Not ever and he never imagined that Darry would. Soda tried  
  
to run out of the room but Darry pulled him back in and Soda's  
  
struggle didn't help him get free. "Soda, I'm sorry. I lost my cool,  
  
but..." Darry stopped for a moment and then his voice rose. "What in  
  
the world where you thinking!?" Soda closed his eyes and rested his  
  
head against the wall. He new he was in more trouble than ever before.  
  
  


	3. Chapter 3

1.1 Posted By: fudgegirl890  
  
"Answer me, Soda!" Darry yelled. "I asked you a question. Now answer  
  
me!"  
  
"I don't know, Darry. I really don't know," Soda tried to pry his  
  
strong grip off of him, but years as a football star and a roofer  
  
made him really strong. "Darry, please." He quietly begged.  
  
Darry stood there for a minute in silence. "Soda, I thought you had  
  
more sense then to do something like that. I guess I was wrong."  
  
"Lay off, Darry," Pony stepped in. "Leave him alone. He feels bad  
  
enough as it is."  
  
"Don't you start with me, Ponyboy." Darry turned on him, not letting  
  
Soda loose. "I am so sick of all of this crap! Why can't you guys  
  
just be easy? For once!"  
  
Next thing Pony knew, his fist had collided with Darry's jaw. He had  
  
hit them. It was about time he got a taste of his own medicine. "Stop  
  
blaming us for everything!"  
  
1.2 Posted By: totallyindie411  
  
"Half the stuff you yell at us for isn't even our fault!" Ponyboy  
  
continued.  
  
"God damnit, Ponyboy!" Darry swore, rubbing his jaw. "I'm going to  
  
kill you!"  
  
"Oh just try." For once, Ponyboy wasn't scared. He was too angry  
  
about the fact that someone had hit his brother and now Soda was  
  
close to crying and no one made his brother cry.  
  
"Pony, don't," Soda mumbled, "It- It doesn't matter. He turned  
  
completely away, trying to hide the lone tear that slid down his  
  
face. "I screwed everything up." Darry sighed, Soda's crying not  
  
escaping his notice.  
  
"Pepsi-Cola, I-"  
  
"Don't!" Soda whirled around, more tears streaming down his  
  
face. "Don't call me that!" Darry was stunned. Soda had never  
  
stopped him from using Dad's pet name when he was upset. He had  
  
really messed up this time.  
  
"Soda, I'm sorry." Darry placed his hand on his brother's shoulder,  
  
only increasing his crying. "Damn, Soda, please."  
  
"Hey, hey, Greasers," Steve suddenly entered the room, a smile on his  
  
face, "Just wanted to see how things were-" He stopped short when he  
  
saw Soda leaning against the wall, tears rolling down his face. "What  
  
did you do to him?" He turned to Darry, accusingly.  
  
1.3  
  
1.4 Posted by bsbfanatic7  
  
All three brothers turned to see Steve standing in the doorway. Darry  
  
sighed. "Can you give us a minute, please?" "Well why's Soda crying?"  
  
Steve asked kind of demanding an answer. "Cuz Darry hit him!" Pony  
  
yelled. "What!" Steve exclaimed. Soda felt more tears streaming down  
  
his face. Listening to this just made everything worse.  
  
"I said give us a minute, Steve!" Darry yelled. "Why'd you hit him!?"  
  
Steve wanted to know. "Soda you ok?" Steve asked. Soda nodded. "Yeah  
  
don't worry about it. I'm all right." "No he aint." Pony  
  
said. "Everything's been hard enough for him and then Darry goes and  
  
hits him!" "Ponyboy!" Darry roared. "You stay outa this. You just sit  
  
down and shut your trap." "No!" Pony yelled.  
  
"Pony... I said..." Suddenly Soda dashed out of the room so fast that  
  
nobody had a chance to stop him. He past by Two-Bit who was still  
  
lying on the couch sleeping and ran out of the door fighting back hot  
  
tears that were threatening to pour out but he wasn't successful.  
  
Darry, Ponyboy, and Steve bounded after him, out the door...  
  
1.5 Posted by fudgegirl890  
  
"Soda!" Pony called. "Come back!"  
  
Soda looked over his shoulder and saw them coming after him. He cut  
  
across the street and through the block, tears blinding his vision.  
  
"Pony, go around that side, and Steve go that way." Darry instructed.  
  
-  
  
Soda climbed on top of an apartment building and watched his brothers  
  
run around looking for him. He felt really bad they were trying  
  
to 'help' him and he wasn't letting them.  
  
After about ten minutes, they figured that he must have left to go  
  
somewhere else, so they took off to the next block.  
  
Soda climbed down the ladder and jumped on to the ground. He dusted  
  
off his pants after he fell and straighten up. He couldn't *really*  
  
take off. Darry would kill him. He had to go home. Besides, he could  
  
end up in a worst fix then Pony and Johnny had been in.  
  
"Two-Bit?" Soda walked in the front door. "Two-Bit? Ya gotta wake up!"  
  
He shook him.  
  
"Whada you want, Soda?" he rolled over and looked at him. He quickly  
  
sat up. "Are you okay buddy?"  
  
Soda shook his head. He was so going to be dead.  
  
Posted by ladyzevie  
  
"You go left, I'll go right, we'll find him sooner or later. This  
  
town ain't that big," Steve told Ponyboy. He ignored Darry.  
  
"I'm on it!" Pony yelped, taking off down the street.  
  
Darry watched them both go helplessly. Should he go left or right?  
  
Slowly, he sat down. Maybe it was better if he didn't go anywhere.  
  
Soda didn't want his comfort, hell, with his temper it might not even  
  
be comfort. An image of himself hitting Soda went through his mind.  
  
Darry winced. His hand was still red from the contact. Darry shook  
  
himself, trying to rid his mind of the awful memory.  
  
"Why can't I just be a good parent," he murmured, gazing back into  
  
the house. For what felt like the first time in a long while, he saw  
  
how truly broken down his house was. He couldn't give them a good  
  
home. He couldn't help Pony with Johnny's and Dally's death. He  
  
couldn't do a thing to comfort Soda when Sandy came back, except give  
  
him awkward hug and mutter "it's okay" when he knew it never was.  
  
He'd been a crappy parent to them, and now...  
  
Darry shuddered, thinking about how things were now. Soda probably  
  
hated him, or at the very least didn't trust him anymore. Ponyboy  
  
could barely stand him and thought Darry wouldn't understand anything  
  
about him. Darry swallowed hard. He couldn't even remember when he'd  
  
just plain been their brother and not tried to be their parent,  
  
nagging or punishing...what did they think of him? Would they - could  
  
they - ever think of him as just their brother?  
  
Darry stared out into the growing darkness, his stomach aching  
  
something fierce, and the insistent feeling that everything was as  
  
good as lost blossing inside him.  
  
'Nothing's right,' he thought, his eyes stinging. And he doubted  
  
whether it would ever be right again.  
  
Something rustled nearby - Darry looked up, expecting a rabbit, a  
  
squirrel...Sodapop stared at him, his huge blue eyes like the moons  
  
of mars. They suddenly he looked away, a frown creasing his face.  
  
"You gonna give me a lecture? Cause I don't want it," he mumbled.  
  
"Naw, Soda," Darry said softly, wincing at how much his voice  
  
quavered. "I'm done with all that. I am done."  
  
And then much to his surprise and Soda's, Darry Curtis burst into  
  
tears on the front porch.  
  
Added by bsbfanatic7  
  
Soda rushed back into the house to wake up Two-Bit.  
  
Posted by Japanese Anubis  
  
"What's wrong?" Two-bit asked.  
  
"I got in a fight with Darry..." Soda stopped. Why was he bothering  
  
to explain himself? Something else would just go wrong. It seemed as  
  
if his life had been turned upside down. How could he be a father  
  
(even theoretically) already? Things were just so weird.  
  
  
  
Two-bit stared at him, trying to piece it together. What had gotten  
  
into him and Ponyboy lately?  
  
"You can trust me." He said gently. Soda told him the whole thing,  
  
sobbing. Even Two-bit couldn't come up with anything to say.  
  
A knock at the door made them both jump. Soda got up and went to  
  
answer it. Outside the door was Angela Shepard.  
  
Posted by fudgegirl890  
  
"Um, Angela?" Soda said, his voice quavering some. "This really is't  
  
a good time."  
  
"I'm sorry Soda," she said, "but I really need to talk to Ponyboy."  
  
"He isn't here right now." Two-Bit said. "Why don't you come back  
  
later?"  
  
She shook her head. "Think I should stay and maybe clear some things  
  
up with you guys," she paused. "I want to explain what Pony was doing  
  
the other night."  
  
-  
  
  
  
"Maybe we should go back Steve," Pony said. "He might be back now.  
  
Darry mighta found him."  
  
"Sure."  
  
The headed back to the Curtsies from the Park. Ever since that one  
  
night - when Bob had been killed - he couldn't stand the park. It  
  
always made him have flashbacks and awful memories of that night and  
  
the days that followed.  
  
Pony and Steve turned the corner, walking past the lot. They could  
  
see everyone sitting on the porch, except Angela and Darry.  
  
"Are you saying that Pony lied to me?" Darry boomed at her. "He's  
  
never lied to me before. Why would he now?"  
  
Posted by bsbfanatic7  
  
Pony and Steve walked up to the front porch wondering what Angela was  
  
doing there. Darry noticed them and got up. "Ok well thanks for  
  
giving me the 411." He said to Angela. "I don't mean to be rude but I  
  
got some stuff to take care of around here so I'm gonna ask you to  
  
leave." "Ok." Angela said getting up but she was a bit insulted. "By  
  
Pony." She waved as she trotted down the street. Ponyboy looked at  
  
Darry wondering what that was all about. "All right." Darry said  
  
breaking the silence. "Pony, Soda come on inside." They followed  
  
Darry inside. Two-Bit remained on the porch and lit up a cigarette.  
  
Steve sat down next to him to find out exactly what had been going on.  
  
  
  
"Ponyboy, go back to your room." Darry said. Pony went reluctantly.  
  
Darry looked over at Soda. Soda dropped his gaze to the carpet. "I'm  
  
sorry." He mumbled. "It's ok. I'm sorry too. We don't have talk about  
  
it anymore today." Darry said. "Ok?" Soda nodded gratefully. He  
  
really wasn't in the mood to receive whatever punishment would be  
  
coming his way soon.  
  
Posted by fudgegirl890  
  
"Pony," Darry said, sitting down at his desk. "I am not going to get  
  
mad at you anymore unless I have a real reason to, okay?"  
  
"Um, okay." Sounded good to him.  
  
"But let me ask you one thing. Why did you lie to me?"  
  
"About what?" Pony asked confused.  
  
"About Tim and Angela," he said. "Angela told me what *really*  
  
happened."  
  
Pony could feel his gut as if it were punched by Darry himself. What  
  
exactly did Angela say? He did tell Darry the truth, but was he more  
  
open to what a hood had to say, or him?  
  
"Darry, I don't know what she told you, but I didn't lie!" He said,  
  
pleading with him.  
  
"Why would she waste her time to tell me something that didn't  
  
happen?" he asked. "I know it was you who treated them to free beers.  
  
I know it was you who offered them to the Shepard's."  
  
Pony stayed silent for a minute, the pressure rebuilding itself  
  
inside him again. Why would Darry not believe him? His own brother...  
  
"Tell me something Darrel," Pony said. "If you are willing to give  
  
Soda a break from everything, why not me? Especially when my problems  
  
weren't my fault in the first place? Soda is deserving what he is  
  
getting. He knew the consequence when he chose to do that with Sandy."  
  
"And you didn't know yours? I find that hard to believe, Pon."  
  
Posted by bsbfanatic7  
  
Pony let out an exasperated sigh. There was really nothing he could  
  
say to that in his defense. "Oh fine, but..." "But... nothing." Darry  
  
interrupted. "You know what my rules are, you know there's a  
  
punishment if you break them, and furthermore you know far better  
  
than to do what you did." "But Darry..." Pony started. "No," Darry  
  
interrupted again. "I've had enough of you excuses for one day. I'm  
  
ashamed of you Pony, I really am." Pony looked at his feet feeling  
  
slightly bad about hearing Darry say that. "I am sorry." He  
  
mumbled. "Yeah, I know you are kiddo and I forgive you but you're not  
  
off the hook here Pon. I want the full story, understand? From the  
  
second you left this house until the second I found you and you  
  
aren't aloud dinner until you tell me." "Aahh, but Darry." Pony  
  
whined. "I'm serious, Ponyboy, and we're having chicken and mashed  
  
potatoes tonight, so you'd better spill it."  
  
Posted by fudgegirl890  
  
"All right," Ponyboy sighed. "You want the full story? You got it."  
  
Darry leaned in closer, just to make sure he caught ever detail.  
  
-  
  
"Hey Ponyboy!" Angela waved him over. They decided that they would be  
  
picking him up at the lot. It worked out fine for Pony, he certainly  
  
didn't mind.  
  
"Hey Tim, Ang," he said. "What are we gonna do today?"  
  
"Well I was thinkin' that we would just drive around see what there  
  
is to do," Tim answered.  
  
"Okay," Pony shrugged, "works for me."  
  
They drove around town, trying to figure out something to do. They  
  
drove to the bowling alley, played a game or two. Then they drove to  
  
the theater. That is where the real story begins.  
  
Posted by bsbfanatic7  
  
"Lets ditch this joint." Tim said putting his ball back on the  
  
rack. "Ok," Pony said. "Were do you want to go?" Tim thought for a  
  
short moment and then said, "My pal is having a party tonight. We  
  
could go check out what's up with that." Ponyboy gulped at the  
  
thought of what kind of parties Tim attended. "Uh, um, ok." Pony  
  
said. Tim smiled. "Good," he said. "Lets go then."  
  
They left and got into Tim's car and drove to the party. They could  
  
here the loud music from all the way down the street. When they got  
  
their Pony was shocked. He had never been to such a wild party. Not  
  
even that night with Johnny when they had gone to Buck's to find  
  
Dally. He winced remembering that horrible night. Pony surveyed the  
  
room. He saw vulgar dances, several fights, lots of alcohol, broken  
  
windows, and lots of other things that I won't repeat.  
  
"Having fun?" Angela asked them as they sat down on a nearby couch.  
  
Tim had gone of somewhere in the house. "Uh, yah." Pony lied trying  
  
to be polite. They were only there for five or ten minutes before  
  
they could hear police cars outside. Tim came back quick. "Let's get  
  
outta here." He said. Pony was thankful for this. He got up and  
  
followed Tim and Angela out the back. They had parked down the block  
  
to their relief because now they could get Tim's car.  
  
"So did you like that?" Tim asked Pony. "Uh, yeah, it was ok I  
  
guess." "What is with you kid?" Tim said. "Don't you have a wild side  
  
or are you always only reading a book?" "No," Pony said  
  
defensively. "I have a wild side." "Oh, really?" Angela  
  
asked. "Yeah." Pony said. "C'mon lets go get some drinks. I'm buying."  
  
_  
  
Darry looked at Ponyboy stunned and Pony stared at his feet.  
  
Posted by fudgegirl890  
  
Darry blinked hard and stared at Pony. What had he been thinking?  
  
"I'm - I'm really sorry Darry," he whispered. "I didn't know all of  
  
this was going to happen, or I would have never done it," he sniffed.  
  
"You lied to my Pony," he said, really disappointed. "You - lied -  
  
to - me."  
  
"I know, Darry," he wiped his eyes on his sleeve, still not looking  
  
at him. "But I couldn't tell you the truth."  
  
Darry closed his eyes and leaned back into the chair, thinking. Why  
  
did he feel the need to have to do all of that, to hang out with the  
  
Shepard's? He didn't even feel that much pressure around Curly.  
  
He knew that he was sucking at being the parental figure. He knew  
  
that now, the boys actually feared to talk to him about anything,  
  
when just a year ago, they were tight and the best of friends.  
  
But that didn't matter now. If he didn't take charge and lay down the  
  
law, no one would, and they would be dysfunctional and worse of then  
  
before.  
  
"Darry, please," Pony saw the anger in his eyes. If Darry wasn't  
  
talking, then that means that he was really mad. More than  
  
before. "I'm sorry. Please don't be mad."  
  
"Don't be mad? Don't be mad?" he stood up and threw his arms in the  
  
air. "How the heck do you expect me not to be mad Ponyboy? Explain  
  
that one to me."  
  
"Darry, it was one time. I won't do it again, I swear," he begged.  
  
"That's what you said last time! Last time you were mad at yourself  
  
and you swore off ever drinking again," Darry yelled. "What happened  
  
to seeing what it did for you at Johnny's house? Huh? I did look over  
  
your English theme, remember?"  
  
At the thought of Johnny, and his dysfunctional family, and alcohol  
  
and how it all rolled into one package, and how Pony had actually  
  
dared to drink some beer after knowing all about this stuff, he burst  
  
into tears.  
  
Posted by bsbfanatic7  
  
Darry tried not to show any pity because he new he had to punish him  
  
but it was hard because he hated to see him cry. Yet, Pony'd been a  
  
brat all day and Darry was kind of relieved to see his regular soft  
  
hearted little brother again even if it made him sad when he  
  
cried. "Well I see you've finally started thinking about the reality  
  
of this." Darry said sternly. Pony sobbed harder.  
  
"You know, I wish that you could just be good." Darry said. "If you  
  
would just behave yourself and listen to me when I tell you when and  
  
when not to do something, then we wouldn't have to go through this  
  
all the time. You make everything much more difficult for yourself  
  
and me than it has to be." Pony just sobbed harder into the bed.  
  
Darry sighed, defeated at the sight of his brother like that.  
  
He sat down next to Ponyboy and rubbed his back gently. "C'mon now.  
  
Quite that crying. Crying aint gonna solve any of this." Pony's sobs  
  
soon decreased to small hiccups and then silent tears. "Now, listen  
  
to me and listen good, Ponyboy Curtis. Don't do that again. I don't  
  
care what reason you have for it. Do I make myself perfectly  
  
clear?" "Yeah." Pony said softly into the bed sheets. "Good." Darry  
  
said giving Ponyboy a pat on the back and getting up to leave.  
  
"Hey, Darry?" Pony said. Darry turned back. "Yeah?" "I'm sorry I hit  
  
you." Darry smiled. "Thanks for the apology kiddo, though I guess I  
  
kind of deserved it. He turned again to leave but then spun back  
  
around to see a smiling Pony. "That doesn't mean it was ok  
  
though." "I know." Pony said trying not to grin. "I'll tell you when  
  
dinners ready." Darry said. Ponyboy nodded.  
  
Posted by Japanese Anubis  
  
Pony lay stretched out on the bed, waiting impatiently for Darry to  
  
call for him. He hadn't had anything to eat all day, and his stomach  
  
was letting him know it.  
  
"Pony, Soda, dinner!" Darry yelled. Pony scrambled off the bed and  
  
joined his brothers at the table. The meal was shortly interrupted by  
  
a knock at the door, which Darry answered. He came back, frowning.  
  
"Soda, it's for you." He said quietly. "It's Sandy."  
  
Posted by totallyindie411  
  
"Oh no," Soda groaned, burying his head in his arms. "Not now. I  
  
can't deal with any more of this today. Darry, please just tell her I  
  
feel sick. Tell her I can't talk to her right now."  
  
"Okay, little buddy," Darry headed back out the door and Ponyboy and  
  
Soda heard the quiet conversation. A couple of seconds later, Darry  
  
came back into the room and sat back down. The three brothers ate  
  
silently for a few minutes, until Darry noticed Soda picking at his  
  
food, listlessly. He reached over and gently felt Soda's forehead  
  
with the back of his hand. "You okay?" He asked softly. Soda nodded,  
  
then shook his head, then nodded again. Finally he groaned and  
  
dropped his head back down onto the table. "Well, it's all clear  
  
now," Darry joked. Ponyboy watched as Darry got up to get a  
  
thermometer. Silently, he slid over to sit next to Soda and gently  
  
patted him on the back.  
  
"Thanks, Pony," Soda whispered. Darry came back and slid the  
  
thermometer between Soda's lips. While he waited, he massaged his  
  
younger brother's shoulders, thinking to himself how the day couldn't  
  
possibly get any worse. When he finally pulled it out, a soft gasp  
  
came out of his lips, "Dang, Soda!"  
  
1.6 Posted By fudgegirl890  
  
"What?" Soda asked, wiping off his face with his hand. "What does it  
  
say?"  
  
"Soda, you get in bed right now!" Darry said, a little worried. "I'm  
  
gonna run to the DX and get some medicine."  
  
"What does it say, Darry?" Soda asked as Darry forced him out of his  
  
chair and guided him - his hands on his shoulders - to his room.  
  
"103," Darry said, pushing him onto the bed. "I mean it Soda, you  
  
stay here. Don't move. I'll be back in a few minutes. Pony do me a  
  
favor and go make some chicken broth," he said, leaving the room.  
  
Pony just stood there, and watched him leave. Something was bugging  
  
him really bad.  
  
"Soda," he asked. "This doesn't have to do anything with your being  
  
sick, but remember that one friend that got married really young?"  
  
"Benny?" he asked. Pony nodded. "Yeah, he was only 15 when he got  
  
hitched. Stupid kid," he laughed.  
  
"Uh, right," he laughed, not really meaning it. "That is kinda what I  
  
was wanting to talk to you about, Soda."  
  
Soda, who already looked like death warmed over, felt his face  
  
fall. "What's going on Pony?"  
  
"Soda," he said. "I'm engaged."  
  
"What?!" he yelled, shaking the floor and ceiling boards of the  
  
house. "To who?!"  
  
"Anlshp," Pony muttered.  
  
"Louder Ponyboy," Darry said from the doorway. "Yeah that's right, I  
  
haven't left yet. Spill it little man."  
  
Pony gulped. "Angela Shepard." 


End file.
